Electoral College Paper Essays - Elections, Electoral College

Electoral College Paper The Electoral College is a gadget in which the character voter does no longer in reality vote immediately for the president. When someone votes they're voting for an elector that has pledged their vote or allegiance to the strolling party. The Framers found out that without considerable communications available at the time and with other varying elements an "every vote counts" or "the famous vote" system might not be practical. Because of this they formed the Electoral university machine, beneath Article II of the us constitution, even though this system was never referred to as this in the Article. This machine has survived for over two hundred years, with handiest changes to it. These would be change 12, and 23 of US Constitution. Many humans have in the course of the years said that the Electoral university is antiquated and wishes to be changed, wherein as many others defended the Electoral university gadget. Some people believe the Electoral College system have many flaws, these can include electing a minority president, faithless Electors, the Electoral College causing a decline in voter turnout, the inequality of votes from large to small states, and the disadvantages for third parties. One huge problem is that a president may be elected without the nation's famous vote. One way this will appear is if three or greater parties run splitting the Electoral votes so nobody celebration can receive most of the people of the votes. This has occurred in 1824 and nearly happened in 1948, and in 1968. If this does happen amendment 12 states that the U.S. House of Representatives would then pick the president from the top three Electors that vote for the opposing running party after pledging their allegiance to another. This is called faithless electors. Faithless electors have caused many people's faith in the Electoral College to waiver. On many occasions an Elector have placed their vote for the opposing party. To help stop this many states have enacted laws to punish Electors that do this. Although no Elector had ever been prosecuted. This century alone there have been 7 faithless Electors, the most recent was in 1988. Even though this has happened many times, it has never changed the outcome of the election. Many people worry that the Electoral University might also reason a decline in voter turnout. They are saying that there may be no incentive for states to encourage human beings to vote. They say that human beings may decline to vote because many believe there vote does no longer be counted. A problem that has plagued the machine seeing that its development is the inequality of Electoral votes from small states and big states. An example could be within the 1988 election, the blended vote casting age population of 3,119,000 of the seven least populous jurisdictions of Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming carried the equal vote casting strength within the Electoral University as the nine, 614,000 balloting age human beings in the nation of Florida. Due to this each vote in Florida became best approximately 1/three the weight of the alternative states listed. Third parties have a large disadvantage in the Electoral College system. Most states allot their Electoral Votes that favor a tow-party system. Even if a third party candidate receives a large amount of vote they still may not receive even on Electoral vote. This actually happened in 1992 when Ross Perot won 18% of the popular vote but did not win any Electoral votes. There are many people that feel that the Electoral College system actual helps the country and does not need to be changed. Some of the benefits include that it helps the country join together to select a president, it enhances the minority interests, contributes to a politically stable nation by encouraging a two-party system, and that the Electoral College system works. The proponents of the Electoral College system point out that the system helps keep one region from dominating over another region. This can keep a large metropolitan area from dominating a very rural area for votes. It allows these areas to join together to cast their vote. Due to these issues there have been many proposed changes to the Electoral College

Report For The Child Protection Case Conference Social Work Essay Essays

Report For The Child Protection Case Conference Social Work Essay Essays Report For The Child Protection Case Conference Social Work Essay Essay Report For The Child Protection Case Conference Social Work Essay Essay This study is prepared for the usage of a Child Protection Case Conference for the five members of the Jones household. The Jones household consists of Mark ( 25 ) And Sue ( 21 ) and their three kids John ( 6 ) , Emma ( 4 ) and David who is merely 3 hebdomads old. The conference is being held to see the extent to which the demands of John, Emma and David are being met, as besides the hazards to which they are exposed. With the Child Protection Conference being a meeting between the parents of kids and the people from different bureaus who know the household, this study aims to supply a brief item of the household scenario and a brooding commentary on the household fortunes, appropriately supported by the theoretical and practical cognition of the writer on the hazards faced by the kids and the model chosen for such hazard appraisal. This introductory subdivision is followed by a brief overview of the instance, a brooding commentary and eventually a summational subdivision. 2. Brief Case Details The appendix to this study provides inside informations about the household scenario and can be accessed by users of this study. To province really briefly, the Jones household has three kids. John, the eldest kid suffers from address holds and is exhibiting behavioral troubles at place and school. He demands single attending and has inclinations for unmanageable choler and physical force with kids every bit good as adults. He has besides exhibited delinquent behavior and has been reported for daze lifting. Emma, the 2nd kid is good natured, loves traveling to school, has been assessed to be developmentally advanced and loves her male parent. David, the freshly born is a premature kid and is non in the best of wellness. It is hard to feed him and he cries frequently. Mark Jones the male parent has a history of young person offense, condemnable behavior and domestic maltreatment. He has grown up in hapless societal and economic fortunes and is now working as a driver of heavy vehicles , a occupation that frequently keeps him off from place. Sue the female parent, had her foremost kid when she was 15 and suffered from station natal depression. Not in the best of wellness and holding suffered from domestic maltreatment, she finds it hard to take attention of her three kids. Whilst she comes from an flush background, she has small contact with her parents, who disapprove of Mark. 3. Brooding Comment Caring and protecting kids is now at the really nucleus of the societal work system of the UK ( Cleaver, 2004, p 14 ) . Whilst the importance of protecting, fostering and alimentary kids and the demand to supply them with appropriate environments for accomplishment of physical, emotional and mental development has ever been felt to be of import by policy shapers in the UK, a figure of episodes that have taken topographic point over the old ages show that kids continue to be exposed to assorted unsafe and need suitable protection. The deceases of Victoria Climbie and Aliyah Ismail in 2000 and 1998 ( BBC News, 2005, p 1 ) created tremendous media tumult and public indignation and led to legion legal and policy steps that aimed to protect and safeguard kids ( Norton, 1999, p 1 ) . The recent deceases of Baby Peter and Khyra Ishaq, who died in awful fortunes, the first on history of force at the place ( Duncan, et Al, 2008, p 1 ) and the 2nd from famishment, revealed that kids continue t o be in danger and in demand of protection and safety, both in and out of their families ( Carter, 2010, p 1 ) . Appendix 2 provides dismaying inside informations on a figure of kids who experienced force that resulted in serious hurt and even decease. I have, in these fortunes tried to synthesize the assorted legal and policy steps that are available in the UK for protection and safety of kids every bit good as appraisal of the hazards to which they are exposed, for the consideration of the Child Protection Conference on the demands of the kids of the Jones Family. The legislative model for kid protection in England and Wales is provided by the Children Act 1989, farther amended by the Children Act 2004 ( NSPCC, 2010b, p 4 ) . The act defines injury as sick intervention or damage of physical or mental wellness or physical, emotional, societal, rational or behavioral development. The act besides enshrines of import rules. The paramountcy rule implies that the kid s public assistance should be paramount for determinations on his or her upbringing. The wants and feelings of kids should besides be ascertained before the passing of any order ( NSPCC, 2010b, p 4 ) . All attempts should be made for saving of the place and household links of kids. The jurisprudence besides underlines the importance of parental duty in the conveying up of kids ( NSPCC, 2010b, p 4 ) . A figure of other Acts of the Apostless like the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 besides lay down the jurisprudence on protection of kids in different fortunes ( NSPCC, 2010b, p 4 ) . Apart from extended statute law for safeguarding and protecting kids, the authorities has introduced a series of policy steps after the decease of Victoria Climbie and the publication of the Laming Report in 2003 ( Department of Health, 2003, p 7 ) . The Every Child Matters Programme inside informations governmental policy for guaranting the safety, nourishment, growing and development of all kids in the state ( Department for EducationaˆÂ ¦ , 2005, p 4 ) . The counsel Working Together to Safeguard Children: a Guide to Inter-Agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children defines kid maltreatment and neglect and provides counsel on the action that bureaus should take to protect kids. The Framework for the Assessment of Children in demand and their Families provides counsel to professionals to place kids in demand and determine the best possible ways of assisting such kids and their households ( NSPCC, 2010a, p 3 ) . The kids in the Jones household are being presently challenged by hard fortunes. Mark, the male parent has a occupation that keeps him off from place for long periods and he is therefore non truly able to assist in family work or conveying up the kids, except by fiscal support. He has a history of criminalism and domestic force. Even though it should be considered that he is undergoing an choler direction programme in order to get the better of his emotional instability. Sue, the female parent is merely 21 and has already had three kids. She besides has a history of station natal depression, which could perchance come up once more after the birth of David, the youngest kid who is non even a month old. Coming from an flush household, with whom she is estranged for some old ages, she is evidently fresh to the really hard household fortunes in which she is placed and the duties of a female parent of three kids. The opportunities of all three kids being neglected is really high in these fortunes, where the male parent is non at place most of the clip and is seeking to get the better of his emotional instability and aggressive behavior and the female parent is prone to depression, physically tired and worn out and has been burdened with the duties of caring for and conveying up three immature kids. The three kids in the household face the existent danger of physical and emotional disregard. Such disregard could specifically harm their physical, emotional and cognitive well-being and development, affect their public presentation at school, expose them to dangers of under nutriment and unwellness and badly impact their life opportunities ( Howe, 2005, p 31 ) . Neglected kids are besides more prone to truant behavior and substance maltreatment. John the eldest kid already suffers from address jobs, fond regard upsets, attending seeking behavioral jobs, uncontrolled choler and inclinations for force. Such a state of affairs could hold arisen because of attending shortages in his early childhood old ages and greater attending being given to his younger sister by his male parent. John now poses a serious physical menace to his two younger siblings because of his fury and violent temperament. Emma and David are unfastened to the hazards of disregard, every bit good as physical injury. Whilst Emma is the front-runner of the household and portions really good relationships with her parents and may non hence be exposed to pretermit, the status of the youngest kid David is unstable. A premature kid who is given to enduring from colic, David needs excess attention, support and nutriment, which may clearly be beyond the ability and capacity of Sue, in her frame physical status and her history of station natal depression. Apart from disregard, which could harm her physical and emotional development at a important period in her life, he besides faces the menace of physical force from John, who can good ache him severely in a tantrum of fury, if his demands for attending are non met. I feel it to be really obvious that the three kids in the Jones household are at considerable hazard, all three from disregard and the younger two besides from force. The GIRFEC ( acquiring it right for every kid ) theoretical account provides a new attack for designation and meeting of demands of kids. The theoretical account places the well-being of kids and provides a common model for appraisal, planning and intercession across all bureaus ( Lamey A ; Rattray, 2009, p 2 ) . Whilst the GIRFEC is a comprehensive theoretical account, it is specifically focused on taking the whole kid attack, puting the kid at the Centre and maintaining kids emotionally and physically safe. Its scope is therefore broader than mere child protection ( Lamey A ; Rattray, 2009, p 2 ) . It adopts a holistic position and an grounds based attack, wherein the engagement and sentiments of the kid and parents are of import for good results. The theoretical account has three of import constituents, viz. the We llbeing Indicators, My Word Triangle and the Resilience Matrix, which can be used both individually and together for happening the best solution for kids in demand ( Lamey A ; Rattray, 2009, p 2 ) . The My Word Triangle in peculiar provides counsel to societal workers on what kids need from people who look after them. These include ( a ) everyday attention and aid, ( B ) maintaining the kid safe and ( degree Celsius ) being there for the kid. These three issues are specifically of import for sing the fortunes of the three kids of the Jones household ( Lamey A ; Rattray, 2009, p 2 ) . 4. Drumhead and Decision This study has been prepared for the Child Protection Case Conference to see the demands of the kids of the Jones household, the extent to which they are being met and what more demands to be done to guarantee the safety, development and growing of these kids. Appraisal of hazard and guaranting safety of kids is a critical component of current societal work theory and pattern in the UK. Extant statute law and programmes call upon societal workers and other concerned bureaus like the instruction and wellness services to work in close cooperation and coaction with each other to guarantee the safety and protection of kids in demand and at hazard with the aid of specific appraisal models, tools and procedures. An application of the GIRFEC theoretical account reveals that the kids of the Jones household could confront troubles on history of their parents non being able to supply equal mundane attention and aid, maintaining them safe and being at that place to guarantee their physical and emotional attention. These fortunes become more baleful in visible radiation of the female parents frail wellness and past history of station natal depression, the frequent absence of the male parent from place on history of his work and the violent inclinations and behavioral jobs of the eldest kid. The conference must see all these fortunes in order to suitably measure the demands of the kids and the extent to which they are being met and thenceforth to be after for appropriate interventionist action. Bibliography BBC News, 2005, Climbie study impulses childcare reform , Available at: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in /uk/ /victoria_climbie /default.stm ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Birchall A ; Hallett, C. , 1995, Working together in Child Protection, London: HMSO. Bodley, A. , Risk Assessment and Child Protection , Creative Minds, Available at: www.mylearning.org/learning/science /Child % 20Protection.pdf ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Brandon, M. , Howe, H. , Dagley, V. , Salter, C. , Warren, C. , 2006, What appears to be assisting or impeding Practitioners in Implementing the common appraisal Framework and lead , Professional working Child maltreatment Review, 15: 395-413. Carter, H. , 2010, The calamity of Khyra Ishaq s decease , Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/ /khyra-ishaq-starving-death-background ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Cleaver, H. , A ; Walker, S. , 2004, Measuring kids s demands and Fortunes, London: Jessica Kingsley. Department of Health, 2000, Measuring kids in demand and their households: pattern guidelines, London: the Stationery office. Department of Health, 2003, The Victoria Climbie Inquiry study of an enquiry by Lord Laming , Available at: www.dh.gov.uk aˆ?A HomeA aˆ?A Publications ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Department for Education and accomplishments, 2005, Every Child Matters, Green paper London: HMSO Duncan, C. , Jones, S. , A ; Brindle, D. , 2008, 50 hurts, 60 visits failures that led to the decease of Baby P , The Guardian, Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/ /baby-p-child-protection-haringey ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Ferguson, H. , 2004, Protecting kids in Time: kid maltreatment, Child Protection and Consequences of Modernity, London: Palgrave McMillan. Howe, D. , 2005, Child Abuse and Neglect: Attachment, Development and Intervention, London: Palgrave Macmillan. Lamey, R. , A ; Rattray, M. , 2009, The Shetland Guide to GIRFEC , GIRFEC Project Team, Available at: www.shetland.gov.uk/socialwork-health/ /1GuidetoGIRFEC.pdf ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Norton, C. , 1999, The sad life, inexorable decease and awful treachery of Aliyah, 13 , independent.co.uk, Available at: www.independent.co.uk aˆ?A NewsA aˆ?A UKA aˆ?A Home News ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . NSPCC, 2010a, The kid protection system in the UK , National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children, Available at: www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/ /child_protection_system_wdf76008.pdf ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . NSPCC, 2010b, An debut to child protection statute law in the UK , National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children, Available at: www.nspcc.org.uk/ /child_protection_legislation_in_the_uk_pdf_wdf48953.pdf ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Unity Injustice, 2005, A Child Protection System so secret it Kill s , Available at: www.unity-injustice.co.uk/child_victims.htm ( accessed February 28, 2011 ) . Wilson, K. , A ; James, A. , 2007, The kid Protection Handbook, London: Bailliere Tindall Ward, H. , 1998, Using a Child development Model to measure the results of Social Work Interventions with Families , Children and Society, 12 ( 3 ) : 202-211. Appendixs Appendix 1 Child Protection Case Conference Based on the Jones Scenario. ( To see to what extent the demands of John, Emma and David are being met ) . The Jones Family: background January 2010 The Jones household late moved out of a council level in metropolis to little town rural country. They are fighting to pay the mortgage on their two sleeping rooms level. There is no outside drama country, and the level is accessed via outside stepss. Mark Dad- 25 old ages old. Mark has a condemnable record as a young person wrongdoer. He has a history of domestic maltreatment and is set abouting an anger direction plan. He is employed as an HGV driver. He has a big drawn-out household. Mark s background is working category with hapless socio-economic fortunes. Sue Florists chrysanthemum 21years old. At age 15 Sue had postpartum depression which was non recognized. She has a hapless relationship with her ain parents. They are really flush ; Sue s female parent continually expressed her letdown in Sue when she was turning up and does non O.K. of her relationship with Mark. Sue has neer worked she is pregnant with her 3rd kid. John Son ( of Mark and Sue ) 6 old ages old John has terrible fond regard issues. He is exhibiting behavioral troubles and has a important address hold. He has been identified as necessitating Additional Support for Learning. Emma Daughter ( of Mark and Sue ) 4 old ages old Emma is the favoured kid. She is an easy kid to care for and loves traveling to the babys room where it has been noted that she is developmentally advanced. She has a really good relationship with her pa. The Scenario: sequence of events Scenario January 2010 John starts at the local primary holding transferred from a big school in the metropolis. He is in a composite category of 5 and 6 twelvemonth olds and he is one of the oldest. John has a important address hold. March 2010 Records for John have been requested from his old school but have still to get. Meanwhile, his instructor, Mrs Smith is holding trouble pull offing John s behavior. He is really demanding of single attending and if this is non forthcoming he becomes really angry. He throws things around the schoolroom and over the past two hebdomads has hit three younger kids. He has besides kicked his instructor. He has been reported for shrinkage and has been grounded by his parents for bad behavior. His choler is exacerbated because he has trouble in pass oning. Extra information April 2010 David was born prematurely last month, and was little for gestational age. He is hard to feed and is really flatulent. He cries a batch and is now 3 hebdomads old. Following the birth of David, Mary the wellness visitant has visited the household place to offer support and advice to Sue. Sue present as tired, level and listless. The house is disorganised. Sue tells Mary that David is a truly hard babe to feed and that he cries invariably. Mark can non assist as his occupation takes him off from the household place for drawn-out periods of clip. On the rare occasions he is at place, he is tired, cranky and sleeps a batch. The state of affairs in the place is non helped by the changeless demands of John. However Emma is co-operative happy and helps her female parent around the place and with the babe.

Websites Evaluation Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Websites Evaluation Exercise - Essay Example At the same time, these web developers who charge very low fees are often in experienced. As a result, they develop the website very poorly resulting in an inefficient website. For example, in some websites when one clicks on hyperlinks they often give a 405 error. This is often as a result of a poorly developed website which has a hyperlink, but the page designated for the hyperlink either does not exist or its development had a lot of errors, (Linde &Stock 2011). Another reason why many websites are in effective is the fact that their development had no goal in particular. A good example is when companies want their names to appear on search engines such as Google, (Linde &Stock 2011). When such websites are put up they contain minimal information and normally do not have valid hyperlink or any hyperlinks at all. These websites are more of posters than websites, (Linde &Stock 2011). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a website, which can be accessed through the URL: www.cdc.gov. The website has used a lot of graphics which capture the users’ eye. By using these graphics without reading anything else, one is able to come to a conclusion what the website is about. The website meets the characteristics of a good website. For example, all the hyperlinks when clicked take the user to the specified web page. The website has a professional impression and it is designed accurately, which helps the user navigate easily through the site. The website is authentic and objective as it provides various links to other site where users can gather information. It is credible as is written by a government institution which means the information is collected from reliable sources. The site also meets the characteristics of a good website in that it provides relevant and enough information. For example, the site list all known recent out brakes, and even goes further to

Should Prostitution Be Legalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should Prostitution Be Legalized - Essay Example In the contemporary society, sex work regulation occurs within a broader cultural shift towards a society that is sexually permissive. However, the liberalization of people’s attitudes towards sexual behaviors that were once considered too deviant behavior is taking place currently. Non-monogamous sex is common in the society that it is becoming an expectation in modern society. Even the people who oppose legalization of prostitution have noted that casual sexual relationships do not carry the sanctions of social morality of the past generation. Despite the liberalization of the society’s attitudes towards commercial sex, prostitution is still highly stigmatized. In a different point of view, sexual commerce qualifies as work in the society. It involves human agency, and it may be potentially empowering for workers. On the other hand, a small minority of sex workers have reported oppression, exploitation, and abuse. Theorists suggest legalization of prostitution will fu rther plunge problems in difficult situations. Currently, the problems faced by the sex works are a life after prostitution. To most them, prostitution is short-term work; it is a job that they are in it to solve their immediate problems and not a long-term solution. Therefore, they see no point in legalizing it since they believe girls are wasting their time in it. In addition to wasting time, it acts as a tool through which infections are spread yet the government is spending much in trying to treat and curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Other pundits argue that, prostitution should be viewed in a broader picture and wider perspective. They argue that modern prostitution is conducted without rules, and this is why infections are spreading at a higher rate. They argue that, if commercial sex can be legalized then the government can work with the workers in ensuring they practice proper and safe sex during their work. This means that the rate of infection transmissi on from individual to individuals will undergo reduction. In addition to reducing infection, commercial sex is just like any other work hence its contribution in commerce cannot be underestimated. This field employs several numbers of women and hence contributes to the creation of employment opportunities for women who otherwise would be idling without jobs and sources of income.

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Paraphrase - Essay Example One form hijab is the niqab, which cover the whole person and leaves only a small gap intended for the eyes. The aim of this dressing is to maintain social order and familial peace therefore the Islamic religion requires the female Muslims to cover themselves fully especially in their interactions with men whom they are not related to since the Muslim religion considers a woman’s hair as half her overall beauty. There are two types of niqabs that are used by the Muslim women, one is the half niqab, which consist of a headscarf and a face veil, the facial fail veil covers part of the face leaving the eyes and the forehead uncovered. The other type of niqab is the full or Gulf niqab that covers the entire face leaving a very narrow space for the eyes, this type of niqab is common in the Muslim countries especially the Gulf States where it is widely worn. The other type of hijab is the burqa, this veil usually has no space for the eyes and the wearer sees through a special mesh s creen. The veil is part of the Islamic religion especially among the women who are required to wear it always especially when going out of their residences. Since the seventh century, Islam has grown to be a major religion in the world having followers in almost all the countries in the world. As the religion spread across the globe especially in the Middle East, Saharan and the sub-Saharan Africa, central Asia and to other communities and tribes within the Arabian Sea, it adopted the cultures and traditions of those communities regarding the veil while in other instances it influenced the practising of veiling in the communities in the region. However, in the recent past some countries, which are governed by the sharia law such as Iran, have made it mandatory for the women to wear the veil, which they call ‘Chador’ and it covers the entire body. The niqab originated in Greece from the Byzantine Christian world in the Persia, and Muslims, especially in the first century of the religion were not much concerned with the way women dressed and the introduction of the veil came only in the second century. In the first century, the women who were veiled were mainly those in the urban regions and the nomadic and village women were not required to wear the veil. Wearing of veil especially among urban women and women of the higher social classes was considered as a sign that the families the women came from could be able to sustain her. This was based on the interpretation of the quaranic message ‘draw their veils over their bosom’ which was considered to mean that women should cover their breasts with a veil to avoid attracting men with their physical beauty. With the growth of the Islamic religion, a lot of rules were made that curtailed the freedom of women in public, for instance during the period of mamluks in Egypt, strict rules were made that required the women in the country to observe the strict dress code of the veil and not to parti cipate in public activities. Shopkeepers were even urged by the authorities not to carry out any business transactions with women who had not observed the guidelines in wearing of the veil and were requested to turn their backs towards them when such women approached their stores until they left. With time reformers and liberals started opposing

Gender Issues and Barriers in Chinese Business

Gender Issues and Barriers in Chinese Business What kind of barriers blocked (interrupt) female to be an organization leader in China? Abstract China is one of the most populous countries in the world, with over 50 percent of its female population in full time work. Like many other countries, China’s women are under-represented in senior management or organisational leadership roles within Chinese organisations. Yet Chinese women are being educated as well as men, if not better, and benefit from fundamental policies which prevent discrimination in the world of work. It appears that there are barriers which affect Chinese women’s ability to advance along the career ladder to become organisation leaders. A qualitative, Grounded Theory based study was carried out to determine what, if any, were the barriers to women becoming organisation leaders in China. The study aimed to ensure a focus on women themselves and so the sample comprised women already working within Chinese businesses and organisations, who were asked to identify barriers to their becoming business leaders or senior executives. Sensitising questions followed up an initial questionnaire and proforma, to probe into more detail about their responses. The Grounded Theory process of Open, Axial and Selective Coding was followed systematically, and the final three categories of Leadership Effectiveness, Stereotypes and Preconceptions, and Social and Societal Norms and Expectations and Personal Characteristics were identified and discussed. It seems that the key barriers to women becoming organisational leaders are their capacity to be effective leaders, the stereotypes and preconceptions of them as women workers, on the part of others and on the part of the women themselves, and the social norms versus their personal characteristics. This last category included unique aspects of Chinese culture and business etiquette which pose significant challenges for women in leadership roles. More research is now needed to explore in more concrete ways these barriers, and to identify practical and achievable ways that they might be overcome. Introduction China is one of the most populous nations in the world (Saran and Guo, 2005). â€Å"China is a large country, with more than half a billion women, over 50 per cent of who are in full-time employment† (Cooke, 2004 p 243). This represents a significant percentage of the workforce. There is, apparently, a discrepancy between the numbers of women in employment and the numbers of women who achieve senior leadership roles within Chinese organisations. It seems that â€Å"knowledge about these Chinese women in general and women in management in specific, remains very limited† (Cooke, 2004 p 243). There appear to be very little sources of information on the numbers of women in senior management or leadership positions in either the public or the private sector in China. While this may not seem to be a surprise to many, it does beg the question of why women do not achieve senior leadership positions within businesses and organisations in China, particularly given a growing aware ness of China’s success within the global business environment, which must influence business and organisational practices. It is established within the business and organisational literature, as well as other social literature, that â€Å"gender discrimination remains a reality in our society† (Agars, 2004 p 103). This is despite evolution of societies and apparent changes in values, because there is evidence that in all aspects of social life people and their reactions and judgements are affected by gender stereotypes and preconceptions (Agars, 2004). It is also well known that there are more men than women in managerial roles in the business and occupational world (Lublin, 1996), and this disparity increases the higher the seniority of the position (Agars, 2004; Adler and Izraili, 1994; AMBA, 1996). The rationale for investigating the barriers which block or interrupt women from being organisation leaders in China stems partly from the great reliance of the Chinese economy on its economic capacity, and in particular its business capacity, locally and in the global marketplace. Economic success of developing countries (if China can still be considered such) is clearly linked to gender equality (Morrison and Jutting, 2005). If Chinese businesses are to succeed, they need to espouse and contain the characteristics of successful businesses. If Chinese state organisations are to function at their optimal capacity and make best use of available resources, they should optimise their usage of those resources, a significant one being their human resources. Women may be being overlooked as potentially valuable contributors to senior management and leadership positions. However, this may simply reflect the lower status of women in Chinese society (Tian et al, 2007). Paradoxically, Chinese women are not necessarily viewed by all as of lower status. Foo et al (2006) quote a United Nations Development Fund study which summarises Chinese women as outshining men in the business arena because they are better at communications; they are able to think more rationally; and because they pursue their careers with single-minded resolve. Yet there is ongoing evidence that these women are still under-represented in senior leadership roles. Noble (2006) states â€Å"excluding women from leadership roles impacts on productivity and militates against a workforce characterised by a diversity of workers† (p 599). This idea of gender inequality comes down to simple business sense. â€Å"Models of women in senior positions and in equal numbers generally benefit the institutions offering different perspectives, experiences and contributions women can make. (Noble, 2006 p 599). Noble (2006) describes the lack of women in such roles as a â€Å"wastage of management and leadership talent which arises from and is perpetuated by the current under representation of women at senior levels,† and which â€Å"seriously undermines organisations’ ability to respond to change and threatens its future viability and vitality in the face of the economic challenges of the changing workplace.† p 599). Therefore, it can easily be seen that for optimal business performance, the capacity of women to contribute to its s uccess should not be overlooked, and so a study into the barriers which face women in achieving such positions could be of considerable significance for such organisations within China. However, the other rationale for this choice of investigation is to promote the interests of women within the Chinese world of employment and entrepreneurship, and to ensure that the research carried out focuses on their perspectives and illuminates their experiences. It is typical of the business world that the theoretical arena it is supported by is dominated by studies based on rationalistic principles and on outputs and outcomes relating to success and factors which contribute to that success. There is a human dimension of business, which the theoretical domain is now starting to appreciate, in which business capacity and success can be found to be reliant not only on the skills of the workforce, but on their capacity to contribute in multiple ways to the organisation and its outputs. Understanding the views and experiences of women may help not only to define the barriers which face them in relation to achieving leadership roles, but to set out some ways in which such barriers m ight be overcome, sidestepped, reduce or even removed from their path. Women within employment seem to consistently suffer, at a certain level, from a relative inequality with men. Women in China, however, have for a long time enjoyed employment rights based on equality legislation which has shaped social norms to support women into full time employment, which continues throughout their working lives, even when they have children (Cooke, 2004). Despite this, women do not enjoy the same levels of seniority in organisations and businesses as men do, and certainly not in similar numbers. This is a human rights issue (Noble, 2006) and one which is of concern to China and to all women and women’s activists. It may be related to a trend within former socialist countries of what Fan (2003) calls ‘transition’, which is characterised by a resurgence of gendered differences in occupational spheres. Because China is a business culture in a state of transition and change, and in which the effects of change may not be realised for some time, there is a need for investigative studies which explore the characteristics of this culture, from the points of view of those within it. There is an issue here about understanding what barriers present themselves to women who aspire to leadership roles, but also, whether or not women in these Chinese business and occupational spheres do view themselves as working towards such advancements. Because of the lack of empirical research on the subject of the barriers which present themselves to women who wish to aspire to leadership roles in organisations in China, the choice of methodological approach for the inquiry was limited, as quantitative studies are based on hypotheses developed from previously published research. Good quality quantitative research studies also require large samples of a diverse study population, and the limitations of this academic research project do not allow for the kind of survey that would provide adequate numbers, statistically, for a purely quantitative study. Therefore, having explored a range of options for the investigation of the research question, the author came to the conclusion that a quantitative approach would be best suited to this area. However, the author was keen to include simple descriptive statistics within the study data, and also wanted to achieve a similar level of rigour as is usually achievable within the quantitative d omain. Therefore, the author settled on the use of Grounded Theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), which is a methodology derived from symbolic interactionism and within which there are rigidly defined stages of the investigation, with clearly outlined process and steps towards the development of theoretical understandings which nevertheless remain firmly grounded in the data derived from the study (Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Goulding, 2005). The following dissertation is set out within the traditional parameters required by the university and by the academic standards of higher education. There is first a literature review, then a description and exploration of the methodology utilised within the study. This is followed by an outline of the data characteristics and background, which is then followed an exploration and discussion of the qualitative data derived from the study. This data is considered and evaluated alongside extant research findings which relate to the data, as is required by the Grounded Theory method, in which data analysis and literature analysis occur simultaneously, such that the accessed literature is treated much as the data is, and subject to the same constant comparison (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). This is followed by conclusions and recommendations for practice and further research. The study aimed to illuminate the murky depths of untapped knowledge and understanding of the barriers which interru pt women’s career progression within Chinese organisations, and thus barriers will be identified and to some extent, their meanings or significance explored. The literature review and the data analysis are separated into themed subheadings, to better signpost the emergent discursive threads of the study. Literature Review Due to the nature of the topic area, it is not possible to address all the available literature, but a critical literature review of key issues will be attempted. The literature review draws on sources related to Chinese business, women in business, entrepreneurship, social theory and even feminist theory, as well as general business and organisational studies, in order to explore the potential barriers that might have already been identified as challenging women to be organisational leaders. The balance of research is affected by the available literature, and by the nature of the research which has already been carried out into similar topics. Little however is written, in terms of empirical research, which directly addresses this dissertation’s research question. However, there are valuable contributions to be made by research from across the business and organisational literature in relation to generic and specific factors affecting women’s opportunities to become or ganisational leaders. China has a vast area of land, and is characterised by considerable social, economic, geographic and ethnic diversity (Chow et al, 2004). Only those factors which can directly be related to the study question will be addressed here. This will allow for the setting of the context and current understanding of the factors which affect the experience of women in China aspiring to become organisational and business leaders. In China, women work alongside their husbands throughout their lifespan, and are supported by employment policies which assure them a reasonably equal role as workers, in terms of basic employment rights (Chow et al, 2004). Therefore, women have a firm foundation within the world of employment, and should, it could be argued, be surrounded by the same opportunities as their male counterparts in terms of career advancement. However, this does not seem to be the case. It is a global feature of business that women seem to experience what is known as the ‘glass ceiling’ within occupational life (Ryan and Haslam, 2005; Cortis and Cassar, 2005). This refers to the fact that women can attain up to a certain level of seniority in many organisations or businesses, but cannot break through into senior leadership roles. There are numerous studies which explore how and why this glass ceiling came to exist, and how it is perpetuated. In terms of Chinese culture, there are strong traditions of loyalty to family and loyalty to one’s boss or employer (Fu et al, 2004). This author would question whether this notion of loyalty contributes to the glass ceiling within Chinese organisations. Gender Obviously, the first and most obvious potential barrier for women in business in China (and in any other culture or nation-state) is that of gender. Gender within this context needs defining, as theoretically, it is still the subject of some argument. Ahl (2006) refers back to feminist scholarship which employed the term gender to distinguish between biological sex and socially constructed definitions of sex, the social practices and representations associated with femininity or masculinity† (p 596). In this article, gender is used to refer to sex in terms of the biological differences between male and female, and the socially-constructed models of masculine and feminine. It is important to note that these may differ according to Western and Chinese norms, and where possible, differentiations between cultural definitions of gender will be highlighted. It has long been known that business is a male or masculine domain. There has been research which suggests that men and women even differ in terms of occupational aspirations, such that males would tend to aspire towards male-dominated occupations in which they can hope for better success, and women, though to a somewhat lesser extent, showing a tendency to veer towards female-dominated occupations in which they are more likely to be able to excel more easily (Powell and Butterfield, 2003). This may be partly due to historical and even current forms of gender discrimination within business and occupational/professional spheres. Gender discrimination however is no longer as apparent as it used to be, thanks to anti-discrimination policies in most organisations and nations (Beck and Davis, 2005). However, in China, â€Å"the half a century’s state intervention in women’s employment has largely focused on protecting women’s labour rights and increasing their share in employment quantitatively, whereas little provision exists which aims to ensure and improve the quality of women’s employment prospects† (Cooke, 2004 p 245). Cooke (2004) shows that women are less represented in professional or management positions, and are more prevalent in clerical and lower-level manual work (Sargeson 2006; Sargeson 2007a). This is significant, given that Chinese women do not traditionally take career breaks to have children, and view their role as equal to that of their husbands in terms of full time work (Cooke, 2004; Sargeson 2007b). This is in direct contrast to the Westernised (and perhaps globalised) norms of women’s occupational experience, wherein women have to either accepted diminished occupational capacity and career advancement in order to have children, or embrace childlessness in order to comply with inherent business norms and achieve success within those parameters (Wood and Newton, 2006; Burke, 1999). Even so, â€Å"men make up the majority of employees in most of the occupations and in state owned sectors where average earnings are highest† (Cooke, 2004 p 245). This is no new finding. For women in China, â€Å"historical and socio-political factors such as the legacy of Marxism, state/party control, economic reform, political upheavals, local conditions and global influences† have affected their self identity, they understanding of their place within the business and employment worlds, and the ways in which they perceive of and experience their career progress and success (Chow et al, 2004, p 161). China has followed an intellectual revolution which has brought to the fore gender studies and feminist studies (Chow et al, 2004), which suggests that the cultural response would likely be that women are more aware of the kinds of organisational and societal cultural barriers to their career advancement into leadership roles. Studying Chinese women’s experiences of barriers to career advancement could be problematic, however, because the very terms used by Westernised scholarly discourse to describe issues of gender and women’s equal rights are essentially difficult to translate (Chow et al, 2004). However, as all literature for this assignment is accessed in English, this should only be viewed as a potential weakness to the study if the respondents are first language Chinese and there are discrepancies between underlying meanings. Another feature of gender discrimination in Chinese business is the fact that the â€Å"state-owned enterprises and public-sector organisations typically operate in an internal labour market system in which jobs are rarely advertised, and promotion decisions are made internally†¦by superiors† (Cooke, 2004, p 249). This means that internal cultural and business mores and codes, which are often set and perpetuated by managers and leaders (who are most likely men), are perpetuated in a way that might exclude women from achieving advancement (Boisot and Child, 1996; Church et al, 2003). These are however buried, often, and not easily labelled as gender discrimination (Beck and Davis, 2005). This is a common feature of all businesses and organisations, it seems, which continue to operate along traditional ‘patriarchal’ and hierarchical lines. Cultural issues also point to gender issues which may present as barriers to women’s career advancement (Brush, 1992). Hanser (2005) explores emerging conceptions of gender in China, in relation, in particular, to service work. This ethnographic study within three urban Chinese retain settings shows that there are gendered class distinctions which are communicated and perpetuated within this sector, which a move from socialism to a more marketized society, wherein younger, youthful and feminine (and urban) women are valued while older and rural women are devalued (Hanser, 2005; Duehr and Bono, 2006). This is reflected in other international contexts and other types of societies (Egri and Ralston, 2004). Hanser (2005) related this to a legitmization of certain roles for certain women within Chinese employment contexts, a fact supported by Coe (1992). This then has nothing to do with role effectiveness, but to do with the external characteristics of women (Hanser, 2005; Cooke; 2 003; Cooke, 2005). Appropriate ‘behaviours’ may be reinforced and inappropriate behaviours censured by such limited characterisations of the suitable female employee (Hanser, 2005). Lewis (2006) uses the example of women entrepreneurs, and suggests that â€Å"the behaviour (business or other) of women involved in entrepreneurial activity of whatever sort is defined and evaluated according to the standards of an invisible masculine norm† (p 453). This shows that underlying business activities are gendered definitions of how people within the market should behave and present themselves (Collinson and Collinson, 1990; Connell, 2005). Because of this, women’s ability to gain commercial, business or occupational success is defined and constrained by apparently unseen (but very real) forces (Cornelius and Skinner, 2008): â€Å"Where this behaviour is judged as differing from the normative standard of serious, professional business, women experience an ‘othering’ as the non-male and are marked out.† (Lewis, 2006 p 453). This is a constant theme of the business literature, that the male is the standard and the female is viewed as ‘other’, as unconventional, as non-standard (and perhaps inherently non-compliant) (Beechey, 1987). Perceptions of gender and gender limitations may also be internalised by many women, and may explain one reason why women do not lead as many successful businesses as men, or are not business leaders as frequently (Bryman, 1987). Kalleberg and Leicht (2005) show that women are less likely to innovate, take risks or step out in new directions in business than men, perhaps due to â€Å"the social disapproval girls are likely to incur for straying from socially accepted, gender-normative patterns of behaviour, and the encouragement and tolerance that boys typically receive for engaging in innovative play and nonconforming behaviour† (p 142). Education It is thought by some theorists that the lower representation of women in senior positions is due to their marginally lower levels of education compared to those of men in China (Cooke, 2004). However, it is also apparent that amount of women in higher education has been increasing recently in China, at a much faster rate than men (Cooke, 2004). Education is seen as a key to senior executive careers (Baruch and Peiperl, 2000; Bickerstaffe, 1992; Carpenter, 1997). This would suggest that the relative lack of education suggested as a barrier to women achieving senior leadership roles may be a factor which is being rapidly eroded. However, it is hard to find evidence of this. Cooke (2004) also argues that â€Å"discrimination against women starts in the recruitment selection to higher education in institutions† (p 247), and this has follow-on effects throughout their subsequent careers. Women are under-represented in certain subjects, including science and business subjects, and have to perform better than men to achieve the same levels of acclaim (Cooke, 2004). Bahry and Marr (2005) show how women’s education in Qatar has developed to such an extent that women are being over-represented in higher education, and that this might signify a shift in gender-dominance in future business domains. However, the nature of this education is not necessarily such that it would develop the kinds of abilities and capacities that are needed in order to gain leadership roles later on in life (Bahry and Marr, 2005). Globalisation and the current international business environment It is important to consider where women business leaders or potential business leaders in China might locate themselves, ideologically and paradigmatically, and how the current environment might affect their ability to assume such senior roles. Mamman and Liu (2008) discuss the difference between macro-level examinations of globalisation on business (and on culture and society), and the micro-level, in which the effects of globalisation on individuals can be appreciated. Globalisation can potentially affect all areas of business (Gunkel et al, 2007). China has, since the 1980s, both embraced and significantly benefited from industrial and business globalisation (Fishman, 2006; Hirst and Thompson, 1999; Stiglitz, 2002; 2003; 2006). According to Mamman and Liu (2008), â€Å"globalisation is particularly important to a society like China where the impact of globalization can have both positive and negative connotations depending on where individuals are geographically located and wheth er they operate in the public or private sector† (p 2). Thus, there may be barriers to achieving career success or business leadership for women in China which are directly related to their personal experience or understanding of globalisation. Mamman and Liu (2008) suggest that â€Å"the form and manner in which globalization is pursued by organizations (private or public) and the nation states is an aggregation of thoughts and behaviour of individuals enabled and constrained by global forces† (p 6). This kind of understanding would suggest that global forces may act as barriers to women becoming business leaders, but it could also be viewed that globalisation could likely be an emancipating force for women in China, because it might at least provide role models for business leadership in other areas and across a diverse range of businesses (Elliott and Stead, 2008). However, it is not enough to cite the forces that emerge from globalisation, such as greater participation in more diverse markets or the presence of women peers with which to do business. It is also important to understand the individual level of response to the new global business environment. It seems that â€Å"to understand why and how organizations and institutions behave in the global economy, we also need to understand how key actors interpret global phenomenon† (p 6). Therefore, accessing individual women who work within business, and women who are seeking to develop as entrepreneurs, would provide th is personal understanding of the global forces of business and perhaps identify more individual as well as international barriers to women succeeding as business leaders. Globalisation is viewed in the business literature usually in positive terms (Mittelman, 2006), but Oka (1998) argues that this may not be the case. Oka (1998) suggests that the terminology of globalisation has â€Å"a distinct connotation of something whole †¦[that] suggests absolute relatedness, harmony, balance and smoothness† (p 32). However, this, according to Oka (1998) is not the case, and there is the argument that globalisation might corrupt social values which underpin society and over-value economics and material gain. However, given the current socialist model of society and economy in China, globalisation may not necessarily be a destabilising force, and the history of business in China in the last two decades certainly suggests that the country and its industry has taken full advantage of the opportunities globalisation presents (Mamman and Liu, 2008; Parker, 2005). Mamman and Liu (2008) carried out research in individual views and responses to globalisation in China, and found that â€Å"respondents view globalization from economic perspective rather than from cultural convergence or political convergence perspective.† (p 32). This suggests that globalisation is most significant to industry and business for Chinese women in business. Mamman and Liu (2008) also state that their respondents viewed globalisation as a product of capitalism: â€Å"they view globalization not only as economic activities but as a philosophical and ideological (not cultural) shift in the way the world conducts economic activities† P 32). This research suggests that globalisation is not part of a potential package of cultural barriers to women business or organisation leaders in China. But Child (2002) does underline the potential cultural conflicts which might challenge women in responding to global business markets, if they have not really had the appropriate training, experience or support during their business or organisational careers. Yet, it may be that many women who wish to assume leadership positions in China are not challenged by global forces or by potential cultural differences, simply because they take a pragmatic view of business and leadership. For these, globalisation might erode barriers to them achieving such roles (Dunning, 2003; Fiss and Hirsch, 2005). Understanding the global context however, is possible from international literature. Beck and Davis (2005) cite the case of a financial organisation Australia that was attempting to increase the numbers of women at managerial level. This organisation had to overcome not only attitudinal barriers but personal barriers (Beck and Davis, 2005). Bahry and Marr, (2005) discuss the social and ideological shifts which have changed women’s roles and status in Quatar, such that they may be becoming more endowed with the capacity to take on leadership roles. However, Singh and Vinnicombe (2004) show that it is still the norm that masculine senior level managers and boards maintain their hegemonic status: â€Å"Evidence shows that senior women do not easily gain access to the boardroom, where an elite group of male directors maintain their power† (Singh and Vinnicombe, 2004 p 479). If Chinese businesses are being significantly affected by Westernised business practices, there is the potential that these practices present more barriers to women taking on senior leadership positions, rather than helped to change entrenched cultural values which have been seen as inherent in Chinese business practice. Gobalisation may therefore be viewed as a source of new hurdles and obstacles to be surmounted for women in China. These barriers include what are described as ‘informal’ or ‘hidden’ processes associated with senior promotion (Alimo-Metcalfe, 1995), a relative lack of appropriate and available career development routes and activities (Ragins et al, 1998), and, the more obvious barrier, the lower levels of pay allocated to women (Oakley, 2000). There are also behavioural and cultural barriers, which include the gender role stereotyping of leadership capability (Schein and Muller, 2002), communication styles which reflect gendered differences (Tannen, 1994), and the social exclusion, corporate cultural norms, entrenched power dynamics and old boys’ networks which characterise British and American businesses (Ragins Sundstrom, 1989). It can be seen that while there may be similarities in Chinese businesses in terms of barriers which emerge from traditional business norms and behaviours, there may be others which could be derived from the businesses they are exposed to in the Global marketplace. Therefore, Chinese women may find themselves having to face and adapt to more or different challenges to ascending the corporate or organisational ladder. Personal Capabilities Other factors which may affect women’s career success at senior level is a perception that they are not capable of leading businesses as well as men (Cooke, 2004; Kalleberg and Leicht, 2005; Fischlmayr, 2002), and the women being faced with competing family demands, particularly from children (Beatty, 1996). This is not necessarily the case in China, however, because it has become the cultural norm for women to work full time, even after having had children, and women do not take career breaks to have children, a fact which is facilitated by the one-child rule (Cooke, 2004). Women may be viewed however in terms of their gender and this will likely affect not only perceptions of their effectiveness as leaders, but evaluations of their success as well (Gunkel et al, 2007; Gutek, 1985; Fondas, 1997). Ryan and Haslam (2005) suggest that when traditional masculi

Enide :: Medieval Literature Essays

Enide Just as with Erec, the origin of Enide is widely debated. There are two basic theories of how she came into existence in medieval literature. One theory is that it was Chretien De Troyes who created the characters Erec and Enide, and it was the Welsh that drew off of Chretienà ­s work in order to fabricate their own tales of the two (Owen xvi). This theory may have evolved due to the fact that "Wales contributed very little, or even nothing of importance to the Arthurian legend as it developed in France, and Germany and then in England" (Jones and Jones xxv). Chretien was therefore given the credit because of his extensive writings on the Arthurian legends, and the fact that he was French. However, a more widely accepted theory is that the story of Erec and Enide was derived from the Welsh (Jones xxv). Evidence supporting this theory is that of the "comparative folktale, of proper names and linguistics, and what may be reasonably if tentatively deduced from the methods of literary c omposition in the Middle Ages" (Jones xxvi). Due to the fact that no one is sure who wrote about Enide first, the task of finding where she first appears in literature is daunting undertaking. Nevertheless, we are able to fill in some of the gaps as to where Enide is mentioned in some texts. Circa 1170, Chretien De Troyes wrote Erec and Enide that can be found in Chretienà ­s collection entitled Arthurian Romances. Erec also appears in The Mabinogion, another collection of Arthurian tales. In this book, Erec, also called Geraint, appears in the tale Geraint son of Erbin. Lord Alfred Tennyson includes Enide in two out of the four Idylls of the King. Both "The Marriage of Geraint" and "Geraint and Enide" were written between 1809 and 1892. Enide also appears in some lesser-known, more modern works. These include two plays: Ernest Rhyà ­s Enid: A Lyric Play (1918) and Donald R. Raweà ­s Geraint: last of the Arthurians (1972), and Marion Lee Reynoldsà ­ poem Geraint of Devon (Lupack ). Enide, daughter of a poor Earl, although dressed shabbily, is described to be the most beautiful woman ever created. Chretien describes her: I tell you truly that the hair of the blonde Iseut did not shine so fair that she could stand with her. Her brow and face were more pure and white than the lily. Her features were tinted with a fresh rosy hue wondrously painted by Nature upon the whiteness.

The Role Played by Socialisation in Shaping Human Behaviour Has Been Overstated.’ Assess This Claim

Common sources of conflict – Conflict is an inevitable part of human relationships. Where commitment to mission and long hours with minimal resources intersect, nonprofit workplaces can be rife with conflict interchanges. Conflict can arise from managing differing perspectives and seemingly incompatible concerns. If we can accept it as a natural part of our emotional landscape, it can be easier to work with than if we expect (or wish! ) conflict to disappear and never resurface.As a manager, it is important to be able to identify and to understand the varying levels of conflicts and how these levels are manifested in different ways. An early sign of conflict is that â€Å"nagging feeling† or tension you feel, indicating that something is brewing under the surface. Pay attention to non-verbal behaviours such as crossed-arms, eyes lowered or someone sitting back or away from you or the group. These signs can provide you with important information about your current situat ion and can help you in assessing your next steps.If these signs are not dealt with in a timely manner, this sense of apprehension can shift to another level of conflict and can be manifested more directly with opposition and conviction. This aspect of conflict is addressed in more depth in the sections below. More often than not, these early warning signs are a part of a larger web of dynamics present in your organization. As part of our analysis, it is helpful to understand the source of potential conflict. Below are some common sources of conflict: Conflict type | Description |Values conflict| Involves incompatibility of preferences, principles and practices that people believe in such as religion, ethics or politics. | Power conflict | Occurs when each party wishes to maintain or maximize the amount of influence that it exerts in the relationship and the social setting such as in a decision making process. | Economic conflict | Involves competing to attain scarce resources such as monetary or human resources. | Interpersonal conflict | Occurs when two people or more have incompatible needs, goals, or approaches in their relationship such as different communication or work styles. Organizational conflict | Involves inequalities in the organizational chart and how employees report to one another. | Environmental conflict | Involves external pressures outside of the organization such as a recession, a changing government, or a high employment rate. | Once you know more about where the conflict stems from, you will be better equipped to address it. A variety of factors influence when and how conflict will surface. To get the bigger picture, consider all the sources above before taking action.Now, we will look at the various ways in which we can respond and manage conflict. Understanding conflict styles – A first step in dealing with conflict is to discover your preferred conflict style(s) and subsequently, learn how to manage a variety of situations usi ng different approaches. These styles have two basic dimensions: Assertiveness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy one's own concerns. This dimension is also correlated to attaining one's goals, Cooperativeness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy the other individual's concerns.This dimension can also be tracked as being concerned with relationships. A combination of these dimensions results in five conflict behaviours: 1. Competing 2. Accommodating 3. Avoiding 4. Collaborating 5. Compromising Each style is appropriate in particular contexts and learning how to be strategic when approaching conflict is ideal. Accommodating – The accommodating style is unassertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to yield. Typically a person using this conflict mode neglects his or her needs to satisfy the concerns of the other person.There is an element of self-sacrifice and this stance is concerned with preserving the relationship versus attaining goals. The mode is also known as an appeasement or smoothing style and is the opposite of competing. Competing – The Competing style is a power-oriented mode that is high in assertiveness and low in cooperativeness. The goal of this stance is to win. In this mode the individual aims to pursue one's agenda at another's expense. This may mean standing up for one's needs, defending a cherished position and/or simply trying to win. The goal is deemed very important.This style is also referred to as a forcing or dominant style. Avoiding – The avoiding style is both unassertive and uncooperative. The goal of this stance is to delay. In this mode an individual does not immediately pursue his or her concerns or those of another. There is indifference to the outcome to the issue and the relationship and the person withdraws or postpones dealing with the conflict. This style can provide a needed respite from the situation or it can inflame things if the issue keeps being pushed aside. This mode is also known as flight. CollaborateThe collaborating style is both assertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to find a win-win situation. Typically this mode is concerned with finding creative solutions to issues that satisfy both individual's concerns. Learning, listening and attending to both the organizational and personal issues are addressed with this conflict style. It takes time and effort. This mode is also known as a problem solving or integrative style and it is the opposite of avoiding. Compromise The compromising style lands one right in the middle of being assertive and cooperative.The goal of this stance is to find a quick middle ground. Parties find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution by having each person give up something and split the difference. This mode is also known as sharing. Dealing with difficult people When working in a group, there may be times when you will have to work with a difficult person. Often times, this person is no t aware of his or her impact on the group or the implications of his or her actions on others. Depending on the perspective, everyone has been viewed at one time or another, as a difficult person.Everybody has the capacity to be both productive and problematic in the workplace. It is all in how you view the situation. With a simple change in perspective, your experience with a difficult person can change from a situation that is happening to you to a possibly enriching learning experience. If you are experiencing a strong reaction to another person, there are two elements you need to consider: you and the other person. First, start with yourself. It is essential to understand why you are reacting to that person and the possible strategies you can use to address the situation.For example, a preferred conflict style can be exacerbated by a particular method of communication. If you have a tendency to avoid conflicts, are emails the only way you solve issues at the office? Or do you fi nd yourself saying things on email that you would never say in person. Many of us can hide behind our computers or take on a bolder, more aggressive persona. In essence, change your behaviour to work effectively with someone. There are many ways in which to communicate with your colleagues – face to face meetings, phone calls, e-mails, video conferencing etc. he possibilities are limitless. When working with a difficult person, begin to locate the problem inside yourself. Dr. Ronald Short, in his book, Learning in Relationship, states: â€Å"The impact someone has on us (feeling and thoughts we have inside) is our responsibility. To understand impact, we need to look at ourselves – not judge others† (1998). Remember, as a rule (and this is easier said than done), try not to take things personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a direct reflection of what is happening inside of this person. The Role Played by Socialisation in Shaping Human Behaviour Has Been Overstated.’ Assess This Claim Common sources of conflict – Conflict is an inevitable part of human relationships. Where commitment to mission and long hours with minimal resources intersect, nonprofit workplaces can be rife with conflict interchanges. Conflict can arise from managing differing perspectives and seemingly incompatible concerns. If we can accept it as a natural part of our emotional landscape, it can be easier to work with than if we expect (or wish! ) conflict to disappear and never resurface.As a manager, it is important to be able to identify and to understand the varying levels of conflicts and how these levels are manifested in different ways. An early sign of conflict is that â€Å"nagging feeling† or tension you feel, indicating that something is brewing under the surface. Pay attention to non-verbal behaviours such as crossed-arms, eyes lowered or someone sitting back or away from you or the group. These signs can provide you with important information about your current situat ion and can help you in assessing your next steps.If these signs are not dealt with in a timely manner, this sense of apprehension can shift to another level of conflict and can be manifested more directly with opposition and conviction. This aspect of conflict is addressed in more depth in the sections below. More often than not, these early warning signs are a part of a larger web of dynamics present in your organization. As part of our analysis, it is helpful to understand the source of potential conflict. Below are some common sources of conflict: Conflict type | Description |Values conflict| Involves incompatibility of preferences, principles and practices that people believe in such as religion, ethics or politics. | Power conflict | Occurs when each party wishes to maintain or maximize the amount of influence that it exerts in the relationship and the social setting such as in a decision making process. | Economic conflict | Involves competing to attain scarce resources such as monetary or human resources. | Interpersonal conflict | Occurs when two people or more have incompatible needs, goals, or approaches in their relationship such as different communication or work styles. Organizational conflict | Involves inequalities in the organizational chart and how employees report to one another. | Environmental conflict | Involves external pressures outside of the organization such as a recession, a changing government, or a high employment rate. | Once you know more about where the conflict stems from, you will be better equipped to address it. A variety of factors influence when and how conflict will surface. To get the bigger picture, consider all the sources above before taking action.Now, we will look at the various ways in which we can respond and manage conflict. Understanding conflict styles – A first step in dealing with conflict is to discover your preferred conflict style(s) and subsequently, learn how to manage a variety of situations usi ng different approaches. These styles have two basic dimensions: Assertiveness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy one's own concerns. This dimension is also correlated to attaining one's goals, Cooperativeness, which relates to behaviours intended to satisfy the other individual's concerns.This dimension can also be tracked as being concerned with relationships. A combination of these dimensions results in five conflict behaviours: 1. Competing 2. Accommodating 3. Avoiding 4. Collaborating 5. Compromising Each style is appropriate in particular contexts and learning how to be strategic when approaching conflict is ideal. Accommodating – The accommodating style is unassertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to yield. Typically a person using this conflict mode neglects his or her needs to satisfy the concerns of the other person.There is an element of self-sacrifice and this stance is concerned with preserving the relationship versus attaining goals. The mode is also known as an appeasement or smoothing style and is the opposite of competing. Competing – The Competing style is a power-oriented mode that is high in assertiveness and low in cooperativeness. The goal of this stance is to win. In this mode the individual aims to pursue one's agenda at another's expense. This may mean standing up for one's needs, defending a cherished position and/or simply trying to win. The goal is deemed very important.This style is also referred to as a forcing or dominant style. Avoiding – The avoiding style is both unassertive and uncooperative. The goal of this stance is to delay. In this mode an individual does not immediately pursue his or her concerns or those of another. There is indifference to the outcome to the issue and the relationship and the person withdraws or postpones dealing with the conflict. This style can provide a needed respite from the situation or it can inflame things if the issue keeps being pushed aside. This mode is also known as flight. CollaborateThe collaborating style is both assertive and cooperative. The goal of this stance is to find a win-win situation. Typically this mode is concerned with finding creative solutions to issues that satisfy both individual's concerns. Learning, listening and attending to both the organizational and personal issues are addressed with this conflict style. It takes time and effort. This mode is also known as a problem solving or integrative style and it is the opposite of avoiding. Compromise The compromising style lands one right in the middle of being assertive and cooperative.The goal of this stance is to find a quick middle ground. Parties find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution by having each person give up something and split the difference. This mode is also known as sharing. Dealing with difficult people When working in a group, there may be times when you will have to work with a difficult person. Often times, this person is no t aware of his or her impact on the group or the implications of his or her actions on others. Depending on the perspective, everyone has been viewed at one time or another, as a difficult person.Everybody has the capacity to be both productive and problematic in the workplace. It is all in how you view the situation. With a simple change in perspective, your experience with a difficult person can change from a situation that is happening to you to a possibly enriching learning experience. If you are experiencing a strong reaction to another person, there are two elements you need to consider: you and the other person. First, start with yourself. It is essential to understand why you are reacting to that person and the possible strategies you can use to address the situation.For example, a preferred conflict style can be exacerbated by a particular method of communication. If you have a tendency to avoid conflicts, are emails the only way you solve issues at the office? Or do you fi nd yourself saying things on email that you would never say in person. Many of us can hide behind our computers or take on a bolder, more aggressive persona. In essence, change your behaviour to work effectively with someone. There are many ways in which to communicate with your colleagues – face to face meetings, phone calls, e-mails, video conferencing etc. he possibilities are limitless. When working with a difficult person, begin to locate the problem inside yourself. Dr. Ronald Short, in his book, Learning in Relationship, states: â€Å"The impact someone has on us (feeling and thoughts we have inside) is our responsibility. To understand impact, we need to look at ourselves – not judge others† (1998). Remember, as a rule (and this is easier said than done), try not to take things personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a direct reflection of what is happening inside of this person.

the black plague essays

the black plague essays The Black Plague was a great European disaster that had many affects of the people living at that time. Though there may be controversy today over its precise significance, no one would to-day deny that the black plague was of the greatest economic and social importance as well as hideously dramatic in its progress. (form the book The Black Death by Phillip Ziegler) In the early 1330s the black plague started to form and the first place it struck was in China. The bubonic plague was basically fleas on rodents such as rats but, fleas can also transmit the disease to people as well as rats but mainly rats that the fleas transmitted this horrible plague into. The spread of the plague started in China very fast since that it was the most over populated country the plague naturally spread very quickly. Since China was the one of the busiest of the worlds trading nations, it was only a matter of time before the plague was spread into western Asia and Europe. In October of 1347, several Italian merchant ships returned from a trip to the Black Sea, one of the key links of trading was with China. Inside the ship there was already people suffering from the deadly virus. Soon when the ship arrives at there location, which is Sicily in Italy. Only within a number of days the disease spread to city and to the countryside. An eyewitness tells what happened and this is what he said: Realizing what a deadly disaster had come to them, the people quickly drove the Italians from their city. But the disease remained, and soon death was everywhere. fathers abandoned their sick sons. Lawyers refused to come and make out wills for the dying. Friars and nuns were left to care for the sick, and monasteries and convents were soon deserted, as they were stricken, too. Bodies were left in empty houses, and ...

100 of the Most Common Kanji Characters

100 of the Most Common Kanji Characters With three different ways of writing, the Japanese language may seem intimidating to new students. Its true that memorizing the most common kanji symbols and other scripts takes time and practice. But once youve mastered them, youll discover a means of written communication unlike anything youll see in the English language. There are three writing systems in Japanese, two phonetic and one symbolic, and all three are used in tandem. Kanji Symbols Kanji is symbolic, or logographic. It is the most common means of written communication in the Japanese language, with more than 50,000 different symbols by some estimates. However, most Japanese can get by with using about 2,000 different kanji in everyday communication. A single kanji character can have multiple meanings, depending on how it is pronounced and the context in which it is used. Hiragana and Katakana Hiragana and katakana  are both phonetic (or syllabic). There are 46 basic characters in each. Hiragana is used primarily to spell words that have  Japanese roots or grammatical elements. Katakana is used to spell foreign and technical words (computer is one example), or used for emphasis. Romanji Western characters and words, sometimes called romanji,  are also common in modern Japanese. Typically, these are reserved for words derived from Western languages, especially English. The word T-shirt in Japanese, for example, consists of a T and several katakana characters. Japanese advertising and media frequently use English words for stylistic emphasis.   For everyday purposes, most writing contains kanji characters because its the most efficient, expressive means of communication. Complete sentences written only in hiragana and katakana would be extremely long and resemble a jumble of letters, not a full thought. But used in conjunction with kanji, the Japanese language becomes full of nuance. Kanji has its historical roots in Chinese writing. The word itself means Chinese (or Han) characters. Early forms were first used in Japan as early as A.D. 800 and evolved slowly into the modern era, along with hiragana and katakana. Following Japans defeat in World War II, the government adopted a series of rules designed to simplify the most common kanji characters to make them easier to learn. Elementary school students have to learn about 1,000 characters. That number doubles by high school. Beginning in the late 1900s, Japanese education officials have added more and more kanji to the curriculum. Because the language has such deep historical roots, literally thousands more kanji have evolved over time and are still in use. Common Kanji Characters Here are 100 of the most frequently used kanji in Japanese newspapers. Newspapers give a great representation of the best and most useful kanji to learn because you are more likely to come across these characters in day-to-day use.   æâ€" ¥ sun ä ¸â‚¬ one Ã¥ ¤ § big Ã¥ ¹ ´ year ä ¸ ­ middle ä ¼Å¡ to meet ä º º human being, people æÅ" ¬ book æÅ"ˆ moon, month é• · long å› ½ country å‡ º to go out ä ¸Å  up, top Ã¥   10 生 life Ã¥ ­  child 分 minute æ  ± east ä ¸â€° three è ¡Å' to go Ã¥ Å' same ä »Å  now é «Ëœ high, expensive 金 money, gold 時 time 手 hand è ¦â€¹ to see, to look Ã¥ ¸â€š city 力 power ç ± ³ rice è‡ ª oneself å‰  before 円 yen (Japanese currency) Ã¥ Ë† to combine ç «â€¹ to stand 内 inside ä ºÅ' two ä ºâ€¹ affair, matter ç ¤ ¾ company, society 者 person Ã¥Å" ° ground, place ä º ¬ capital éâ€"“ interval, between ç” ° rice field ä ½â€œ body Ã¥ ­ ¦ to study ä ¸â€¹ down, under ç› ® eye ä ºâ€ five Ã¥ ¾Å' after æâ€" ° new 明 bright, clear æâ€" ¹ direction éÆ' ¨ section .Ã¥ ¥ ³ woman å… « eight Ã¥ ¿Æ' heart å›› four æ °â€˜ people, nation Ã¥ ¯ ¾ opposite ä ¸ » main, master æ ­ £ right, correct ä » £ to substitute, generation è ¨â‚¬ to say ä ¹  nine Ã¥ °  small æ€  to think ä ¸Æ' seven Ã¥ ± ± mountain Ã¥ ®Å¸ real å… ¥ to enter 回 to turn around, time Ã¥   ´ place 野 field éâ€"‹ to open ä ¸â€¡ 10,000 å… ¨ whole Ã¥ ®Å¡ to fix Ã¥ ® ¶ house Ã¥Å'â€" north å… ­ six å•  question è © ± to speak æâ€"‡ letter, writings å‹• to move Ã¥ º ¦ degree, time çÅ"Å' prefecture æ ° ´ water Ã¥ ®â€° inexpensive, peaceful æ °  courtesy name (Mr., Mrs.) å’Å' harmonious, peace æ” ¿ government, politics ä ¿  to maintain, to keep è ¡ ¨ to express, surface é â€œ way ç› ¸ phase, mutual æ„  mind, meaning ç™ º to start, to emit ä ¸  not, un-, in- å…š political party

The EU Budget Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The EU Budget - Essay Example The main principle is that EU funding has to be utilised only when sharing resources looks sensible to the Union's member countries. The EU's yearly budget totals to around '130 billion. This is approximately 1% of the economic wealth yielded by the member countries every year. The budget determines income and expenditure for the year, lists all the actions that are to be financed and also fixes total amount of money and staff obtainable for each. The budget also determines the amount of each payment and its authorisation. A ceiling on the expenditure limit is accorded by the member states' governments and parliaments. The limitation at present is set at 1.24% of the Union's gross national income. The budget in the year 2008 has apportioned 45% of its total expenditure to make the EU economy more aggressive and lively. This year the EU budget has plans to narrow the space between the rich and the poor member states and regions. Agriculture is apportioned with 32% of the budget which is also a major area of expenditure. Rural development and environment takes 11% and the total cost for the administrative to run the EU works up to 6% of the total expenditure. 2. An upper limit for expenditure which is agreed by the member states' governments and parliaments. ... The budget of the EU is dependent on 3 constraints: 1. The treaties, which influence the EU budget not to be in deficit which means that the total income has to cover the total expenditure. 2. An upper limit for expenditure which is agreed by the member states' governments and parliaments. This is the personal resources cap. This cap forms 1.24% of the Union's gross national income (GNI) which is to be used for payments. This amounts roughly to EUR 293 per EU citizen on average. 3. A fiscal structure established by the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission, would check the development of the EU budget set by expenditure category for a period of time. The present fiscal structure runs from 2007 to 2013. The EU has its individual resources to fund its spending. By law, these resources are of the Union. Member states who accumulate them in lieu of the EU and shift them to the EU budget. The 3 kinds of EU's own resources are: 1. Traditional own resources (TOR) which is made up of duties billed for imports from a non-EU state which approximated to around 15% of total revenue, in the year 2007. 2. Value added tax (VAT) is a consistent percentage rate which is applicable on each member state's harmonised VAT revenue forms yet another resource. This was around 15% of total revenue, for the year 2007. The gross national income (GNI) which is 0.73% and is applicable to the GNI of each member state. Even though it is a complementary item it is the prime source of revenue and amounted to around 70% of total revenue for the year 2007(http://www.eu2008.si/en/ About_the_EU /Budget/ index. html accessed on 4th June 2009). : Source: Commission of the European Communities Other sources of revenue are taxes paid by EU

Impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and customer Dissertation

Impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty an application on the banking sector - Dissertation Example With the aim to evaluate the impact of service quality and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty, three objectives were set in Chapter I. Based on a qualitative approach, only secondary data has been used for this study. With customer loyalty as the dependent variable, three independent variables – perceived value, service quality and customer experience have been considered in this study. The study finds that certain dimensions of service quality directly impact customer loyalty - reliability, empathy, responsiveness and assurance. Staff training is thus of importance in delivering quality training to evoke such feelings in customers. In the service economy the relationship between service quality and customer experience has gained immense importance. Customers base their future decisions on the ‘moment of truth’ and hence staging and designing an experience has become an important tool to gain competitive advantage in the banking sector. Banks need to unders tand individual customer needs and personalize service. Perceived value enhances customer satisfaction and this leads to enhanced customer loyalty. Customers evaluate the benefits they receive against the costs they pay for such services. Thus Perceived value in the banking sector independently impacts customer satisfaction leading to customer loyalty. ... 1.4 Conceptual framework 4 1.5 Structure of the Study 6 1.6 Scope of the Study 6 Chapter II Literature Review 2.1 Chapter Overview 7 2.2 Definitions 2.2.1 Service Quality 7 2.2.2 Customer Satisfaction and Customer Experience 8 2.2.3 Customer-perceived Value 9 2.2.4 Customer Loyalty 10 2.3 Dimensions and perceptions of service quality 2.3.1 Dimensions of Service Quality 10 2.3.2 The Gap Model 11 2.3.3 Perceptions of Service Quality 12 2.3.4 Summary 15 2.4 Service Quality and Customer Loyalty 16 2.5 Service Quality and Customer Experience 19 2.6 Perceived Value on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty 22 Chapter III Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy 23 3.2 Research Design 23 3.3 Research Methodology 23 3.4 Choice of Method 24 3.5 Data Collection 25 3.6 Sources of data 25 3.7 Justification for Literature Review 25 3.8 Data Analysis 26 3.9 Ethical Concerns 26 Chapter IV Findings and Discussion 4.1 The Banking Industry 27 4.2 Service Quality and Customer Loyalty 27 4.3 Service Qual ity and Customer Experience 29 4.4 Perceived Value on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty 31 4.5 Discussion 33 Chapter V Conclusion and Recommendation 5.1 Conclusion 36 5.2 Recommendations to enhance customer loyalty 37 5.3 Limitations of the Study 37 5.4 Recommendations for further research 37 5.5 Personal Reflections 39 References 40 Figures Figure I Framework for the Study 5 Figure II Customer Experience and Service Quality 30 Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background In an intensely competitive business environment, sustainable competitive advantage has become imperative. The service industry has been forced to create new ways of finding competitive advantage (Chen & Hu, 2012). Retaining customers is considered to be more important than creating new customers. Retaining existing